1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of surface drive propellers for marine vessels, and more particularly, to an apparatus for deflecting and shaping a rooster tail formed by a surface drive propeller.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Surface drive propellers are unique in the art of marine propulsion. Such drives operate half in water and half out of the water in the planing wake region of a boat just behind the transom. Having the propeller at the surface level reduces drag and reduces the vessel's draft, making the surface drive suitable for many applications where the owner is looking to reduce fuel costs, increase speed, and create a more efficient vessel over other types of submersed drives such as outboard, inboard, outboard/inboard, and pod applications. For these reasons, for example, marine vessels equipped with surface drive propellers are employed by the military organizations of several countries.
Whether employing surface or other types of drives, propulsion devices often produce unique byproducts such as wake formations. Surface drive propellers in particular are known to produce the unique byproduct of a large rooster tail, unlike other types of propellers/drives.
The large rooster tail formed by a surface drive propeller is very large and forms an arch of water spray that is large enough to be detected by radar. Possible radar detection exposes the marine vessel, and its crew, to potential danger. This is a particular concern for military applications.
While radar detection of a rooster tail formed by surface drive propellers may be acceptable for an average consumer, it may be undesirable for other reasons as well. For example, a large rooster tail may impose a safety hazard to people being towed behind the marine vessel during waterskiing or similar activity. The rooster tail may impede vision or present a general nuisance. A large rooster tail may also be a hazard to other marine vessel operators, as it may impede the operator's vision. What is therefore needed is a device that can minimize the rooster tail effects of surface drive propeller applications. What is also needed is a device that can prevent a rooster tail from forming that is easily deployed, and easily retracted when deflection is not needed.